Anthony Shay Status:   Active, Choreography Specialty:   Persian Range:   International Contact:   Dr. Anthony Shay AVAZIDT@aol.com http://www.avazinternationaldance.org/	CLICK TO ENLARGE
Anthony Shay is a dancer and choreographer with over forty years of performing and creative experience in staging and choreographing dances and music from Eastern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia. After years of study in Iran, Dr. Shay created the Village Dancers. Along with Leona Wood (1922-2008), a painter, teacher, and expert in Middle Eastern dance, he created the famed AMAN Folk Ensemble (aka, AMAN International Music and Dance Company) of Los Angeles, California in 1963 and served as artistic director until 1977. He currently serves as choreographer and artistic director of the AVAZ International Dance Theatre, a group he founded in 1977. In this period he has choreographed over 150 works for both his own company and on commission to other groups. Shay earned a Ph.D. in Dance History and Theory at the University of California, Riverside in 1997. He currently holds the position of associate in dance at the same institution, where he teaches dances of the Iranian cultures sphere. He holds MA degrees in anthropology, folklore and mythology, and library science. Shay is a five-time recipient of the National Education Association (NEA) choreographic fellowship and was an NEA resident artist in La Napoule, France. In 1990, he was a seminar participant in "Latin American Music in a historical and social perspective" at the University of Texas, Austin. In 1995, Shay was again awarded a summer scholar position in the seminar "Re-imagining Societies: The Middle East and Central Asia" at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire. On November 18, 1995, Shay received commendations from President Bill Clinton and the entire City Council of Los Angles for excellence of his choreographies, honoring his fortieth year as a choreographic artist. The Kaleidiscope Festival designated him as Distinguished California Artist in 1997. He was awarded a James Irvine Fellowship in Dance for 1998 as one of eight of the top choreographers in the State of California. The award is accompanied by a $30,000.00 fellowship for research focused around a core focus on Iranian art, which enabled Shay to visit important art collections and libraries in a number of different countries. This fellowship is the most coveted dance award in the United States. Among Dr. Shay's publications are Choreophobia. Mazda Publishers, 1999. Choreophobia: Solo Improvised Dance in the Iranian World. Mazda Publishers, 2000. Choreographic Politics: State Folk Dance Ensembles, Representation and Power. Wesleyan University Press, 2002. "Boys Night Out in Leadville." Dances Dr. Shay has taught include Beljevina, Bibersko Kolo, Bitoljka, Četiri u Krst, Cigančica, Kato mi Kato, Krecavi Ketuš, Kriči Kriči Tiček, Lepa Anka Kolo Vodi, Mangupsko Kolo, Mišnjačka (Lički Tanac), Mista Kolo, Podravski Drmeš, Pokupski Drmeš, Pokupski Plesovi, Posavski Plesovi, Prigorska Polka, Staro Planinsko, Stara Prizrenka, Sukačica, Sumadijsko Kolo, Toško Oro, Valpovačko Kolo, Zavrzlama, and Ženil Si Je Sirotek (Lepa Moja Milena). Because most of Dr. Shay's works were intended for repertory companies, they received and still receive multiple performances, sometimes over one hundred or more times. For example, Up with People has five casts of one hundred performers and annually performs Dr. Shay's works several hundred times in one year collectively. Im Anush Daviq, an Armenian choreography he composed in 1979, has been a permanent part of the AVAZ repertoire for more than 15 years and has received at least 200 performances during that time period. NAME AREA PERFORMED BY YEAR         Raqs-e shadi Iran AVAZ 1997 Raqs-e ghuri Tajikistan AVAZ 1996 Raqs-e Ayineh Iran AVAZ 1997 Ferghanin usuli Uzbekistan AVAZ 1995 Ciftetelli Suite Ottoman Turkey AVAZ 1995 Mouashshahat Lebanon AVAZ 1995 Dabka Suite Jordan AVAZ 1995 Usul-e Samarqandi Uzbekistan AVAZ 1994 Tak-Navazi Iran AVAZ 1994 Vrlicko Kolo III Croatia Komeinka 1995 Ghawazi Dance Egypt AVAZ 1994 Ruchenitsa from Thrace Bulgaria Up With People 1995 Gagara India (Gujerat) Up With People 1995 Shope Suite Bulgaria AMAN, AVAZ 1963 Podravina Wedding Croatia AMAN, Tamburitzans 1974 Vrlicko Kolo I Croatia AMAN, Tamburitzans 1968 Lindo Croatia AMAN, AVAZ Duquesne U 1969 Dances of Bukhara Uzbekistan AMAN, AVAZ 1967 Dances of Bojnurd Iran AVAZ 1993 Raqs-e Chupi Iran AVAZ 1978 Kurdish Suite Iran/Iraq AVAZ 1986 Katta Uyin Uzbekistan AVAZ 1978 Persian Gulf Suite Iran AVAZ 1979 Dances of the Ghawazi Egypt AVAZ 1994 Dances of Eastern Serbia Serbia AMAN, AVAZ 1964 Dances of Prizren Serbia Village Dancers 1962 Bunjevacko Momacko I No. Serbia AMAN 1966 Bunjevacko Momacko II No. Serbia AMAN, AVAZ 1966 Bunjevacko Momacko III No. Serbia Duquesne U. 1969 Azerbaijan Suite Azerbaijan Village Dancers 1960 Azerbaijan Suite II Azerbaijan Komeinka 1989 Azerbaijan Suite III Azerbaijan AVAZ 1990 Azerbaijan Suite IV Azerbaijan Duq. U. Tambur. 1975 Im Anush Daviq Armenia AVAZ 1978 Dances of Zelina Croatia Duq U. Tambur 1974 Balun I Croatia AMAN 1970 Balun II Croatia AVAZ 1983 Stara Bosna Bosnia AMAN, AVAZ 1971 Kraljice Croatia AMAN, AVAZ 1972 Cake Walk USA Up With People 1980 Carnival Brazil Up With People 1981 Dajcovo Horo I Bulgaria Village Dancers 1961 Dajcovo Horo II Bulgaria AMAN, AVAZ 1963 Dajcovo Horo III Bulgaria Up With People 1982 Thracian Suite Bulgaria AMAN, AVAZ 1968 Dances of Sumadija I Serbia Village Dancers 1960 Dances of Sumadija II Serbia AMAN 1970 Dances of Sumadija III Serbia Duq U Tambur 1975 Dances of Sumadija IV Serbia AVAZ 1984 Dances of Baranja Croatia AMAN 1976 Nevestinsko Oro Madeconia AMAN 1967 Macedonian Suite Macedonia AMAN 1965 Kalajdzisko Horo I Macedonia Village Dancers 1961 Kalajdzisko Horo II Macedonia AMAN 1964 Banat Serbia Village Dancers   Lancer Quadrilles USA Village Dancers 1962 Dances of Vera Cruz Mexico AMAN 1974 Fandango California AMAN 1976 Jota Aragonesa Spain AMAN 1973 Banat Suite I Serbia Village Dancers 1961 Banat Suite II Serbia AMAN 1964 Banat Suite III Serbia AVAZ 1978 Cocek Serbia AVAZ 1980 Kuperlika (Cuperlika) Macedonia AMAN 1966 Ottoman Suite Turkey AMAN 1964 Hoedown USA Up With People 1978 Dances of Posavina I Croatia AMAN 1970 Dances of Posavina II Croatia AMAN 1972 Dances of Posavina III Croatia Duq U Tambur 1974 Dances of Posavina IV Croatia AVAZ 1979 Dances of Posavina V Croatia AVAZ 1991 Dances of Split Croatia AVAZ 1992 Tanac from the Isle of Krk Croatia AMAN 1967 Dance from Pag Croatia AMAN 1967 Ballos from Sifnos Greece AVAZ 1980 Ballos from Chios Greece AMAN 1969 Taverna I Greece, USA AMAN 1972 Taverna II Greece, USA Dug U Tambur 1976 Taverna III Greece AVAZ 1993 Zeybek Turkey Village Dancers 1961 Turkish Suite Turkey Village Dancers 1960 Dances of Slavonija I Croatia Village Dancers 1961 Dances of Slavonija II Croatia AMAN 1963 Dances of Slavonija III Croatia AMAN, AVAZ 1968 Ladarke I Croatia AMAN 1965 Ladarke II Croatia AMAN 1970 Dances of Prigorje Croatia AMAN 1969 Dances of Prigorje II Croatia Duq U Tam 1969 Dances of Pokuplje Croatia AVAZ 1987 zang bozi Tajikistan Village Dancers 1961 raqs-e mojassameh Iran AVAZ 1993 Running Sets I USA AVAZ 1983 Running Sets II USA AVAZ 1986 Calusari Rumania AVAZ 1986 Sopsko Horo Bulgaria AMAN 1965 Rice Harvest Dance, Gilan Iran Village Dancers 1960 Bazi-ha-ye namayeshi Iran AVAZ 1992 The Dancing Out Hungary AVAZ 1985 Verbunkos Hungary AMAN 1970 Dances of Torbat Jam Iran AVAZ 1980 Dances of Baluchistan Iran AVAZ 1982 Motreban Iran AVAZ 1980 Dance of Qajar Court Iran AVAZ 1984 Shateri I Iran AVAZ 1979 Qazaqi I Azerbaijan Village Dancers 1961 Qazaqi II Azerbaijan AMAN 1965 Qazaqi III Azerbaijan AVAZ 1979 Dasmali Azerbaijan AVAZ 1981 Tarantella Italy Up With People 1980 Hopak (Gopak) Ukraine Up With People 1982 Horovod Russia Up With People 1992 Katanka Serbia AMAN, AVAZ 1965 Shota Albania Village Dancers 1962 Kartuli Georgia AVAZ 1993 Dance of Qaraqanah Tunisia AVAZ 1985 Rugovo Albania AMAN 1969 Kochari Armenia AVAZ 1983 Dances of Vranje Serbia Village Dancers 1963 Kheliji Saudi Arabia Komeinka (New Orleans) 1997 Bandari (Persian Gulf) Iran AVAZ 1977 Bandari II Iran Komeinka 1996 Bandari III Iran Pomona College 1997 Armenian Suite Armenia AVAZ 1996 Silent Dances Bosnia Pomona College 1998 Monajat Uzbekistan Scripps College 1998

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